Numbers 32
They are close! They are really close. It appears that Israel is about to cross over the river Jordan into the promised land. Thanks be to God their journey through the wilderness is almost over! Or is it?
The Gadites, Reubenites and half tribe of Manasseh decide they don't want to live in the land the Lord has promised them. The land that they have just taken from the Mideanites is great for cattle and they want to settle there east of the Jordan. They don't want to go to the land flowing with milk and honey. This makes Moses just a wee bit nervous. The last time God was going to lead them into the promised land, they had balked at entering the land out of fear of the people that resided there. And what happened....? They weren't allowed to enter. God sent them wandering around in the wilderness for 40 years.
But, the tribes who wanted the land east of the river convinced Moses that it was not out of fear that they didn't want to inherit any of the promised land, but simply that they liked the land and wanted to settle where they were. They promise (and do fulfill their promise) that the men will go into the promised land to help take the land for the rest of Israel and then they will return to the land east of the river. Moses agrees.
As we continue reading in the months ahead, I (we) need to remember to pay attention to what happens to these people who did not want and did not receive the land that God had promised them.
And on to today's life's application of this story. In the U.S. today is the national day of thanksgiving. Our thanksgiving worship service was last night so that the community could gather as families in thankfulness for all that was given them today. We gathered together as the children of God last night, to give thanks to the one who has given us so much. But, as I suspect it was in most congregations around the country, attendance was certainly not anywhere near a Sunday morning worship service. We heard the lesson of the 10 lepers (Luke 17:11-19) and only 1 (a Samaritan) returning to give thanks to the Lord for healing him and he was not just healed of his disease, but made whole. This lesson on the eve of Thanksgiving always makes me wonder how many of God's children are truly thankful for what He has given us... How many have actually been made whole... How many have fully received the gifts that God wants them to receive...
Sometimes, I joke about my heritage. I am pretty much a "mutt," although mostly of Finnish descent. Those first immigrants to the U.S. had it pretty rough. They worked hard, mostly as farmers or miners, and neither the land or the climate was gentle to them. They were a serious people, always doing battle with the elements to provide for their families. Some of my family have been farmers (some miners). I remember working in the barn with my grandmother when I was very young. All the milking was done by hand. There were no mechanical devices to clean the gutters, either. She worked very hard and always gave thanks to God for all that He provided to her family. But, in the next generation, with the advancements of modern farming methods, which should have made life easier, I noticed that life on many farms didn't seem to get easier. With all this equipment to make the work easier, what I noticed was lacking was an attitude of gratitude for the gifts that God had given them. It was as though many hadn't even received the gifts. When I would return to the area to visit (and make hay), what I heard was grumbling about the hard work, grumbling about the equipment breaking down, grumbling that it was raining, grumbling that the sun was shining... You get the picture. And all of this grumbling was usually done around the kitchen table over coffee and nisu. :) I have to admit, I found all this grumbling to be a bit humorous.
Bottom line this morning is... Have you received the promised inheritance that God has given to you? Have you entered into that kingdom (it has come and is coming) or are you going to stay on the outside like the Gadites, Ruebenites and the half-tribe of Manasseh, while others claim your inheritance? Will you rejoice and be glad for all that God had given you, so that you might turn and give Him thanks?
Rejoice and give thanks to God for all His promises on this day of thanks giving as well as every day!
They are close! They are really close. It appears that Israel is about to cross over the river Jordan into the promised land. Thanks be to God their journey through the wilderness is almost over! Or is it?
The Gadites, Reubenites and half tribe of Manasseh decide they don't want to live in the land the Lord has promised them. The land that they have just taken from the Mideanites is great for cattle and they want to settle there east of the Jordan. They don't want to go to the land flowing with milk and honey. This makes Moses just a wee bit nervous. The last time God was going to lead them into the promised land, they had balked at entering the land out of fear of the people that resided there. And what happened....? They weren't allowed to enter. God sent them wandering around in the wilderness for 40 years.
But, the tribes who wanted the land east of the river convinced Moses that it was not out of fear that they didn't want to inherit any of the promised land, but simply that they liked the land and wanted to settle where they were. They promise (and do fulfill their promise) that the men will go into the promised land to help take the land for the rest of Israel and then they will return to the land east of the river. Moses agrees.
As we continue reading in the months ahead, I (we) need to remember to pay attention to what happens to these people who did not want and did not receive the land that God had promised them.
And on to today's life's application of this story. In the U.S. today is the national day of thanksgiving. Our thanksgiving worship service was last night so that the community could gather as families in thankfulness for all that was given them today. We gathered together as the children of God last night, to give thanks to the one who has given us so much. But, as I suspect it was in most congregations around the country, attendance was certainly not anywhere near a Sunday morning worship service. We heard the lesson of the 10 lepers (Luke 17:11-19) and only 1 (a Samaritan) returning to give thanks to the Lord for healing him and he was not just healed of his disease, but made whole. This lesson on the eve of Thanksgiving always makes me wonder how many of God's children are truly thankful for what He has given us... How many have actually been made whole... How many have fully received the gifts that God wants them to receive...
Sometimes, I joke about my heritage. I am pretty much a "mutt," although mostly of Finnish descent. Those first immigrants to the U.S. had it pretty rough. They worked hard, mostly as farmers or miners, and neither the land or the climate was gentle to them. They were a serious people, always doing battle with the elements to provide for their families. Some of my family have been farmers (some miners). I remember working in the barn with my grandmother when I was very young. All the milking was done by hand. There were no mechanical devices to clean the gutters, either. She worked very hard and always gave thanks to God for all that He provided to her family. But, in the next generation, with the advancements of modern farming methods, which should have made life easier, I noticed that life on many farms didn't seem to get easier. With all this equipment to make the work easier, what I noticed was lacking was an attitude of gratitude for the gifts that God had given them. It was as though many hadn't even received the gifts. When I would return to the area to visit (and make hay), what I heard was grumbling about the hard work, grumbling about the equipment breaking down, grumbling that it was raining, grumbling that the sun was shining... You get the picture. And all of this grumbling was usually done around the kitchen table over coffee and nisu. :) I have to admit, I found all this grumbling to be a bit humorous.
Bottom line this morning is... Have you received the promised inheritance that God has given to you? Have you entered into that kingdom (it has come and is coming) or are you going to stay on the outside like the Gadites, Ruebenites and the half-tribe of Manasseh, while others claim your inheritance? Will you rejoice and be glad for all that God had given you, so that you might turn and give Him thanks?
Rejoice and give thanks to God for all His promises on this day of thanks giving as well as every day!
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